SS Mariposa was a luxury ocean liner launched in 1931, one of four ships in the Matson Lines "White Fleet", which included , , and . She was later renamed SS Homeric. Building The Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation built Mariposa at Quincy, Massachusetts, completing her in December 1931. Her registered length was , her beam was , and her depth was . As built, her tonnages were and . She had twin screws, each driven by three steam turbines via single reduction gearing. Career with Matson Lines Mariposa was designed for service in the Pacific Ocean, including regular stops in ports along the West Coast of the United States, Hawaii, Samoa, Fiji, New Zealand, and Australia. Her maiden voyage began 16 January 1932 in New York City, where she sailed to Havana, transited the Panama Canal, and berthed in the Port of Los Angeles before continuing on to tour 10 more countries in the south and west Pacific. War service In World War II, she operated under the War Shipping Administration with allocation and close association with the US Army, though not officially a US Army Transport, serving as a fast troop carrier, bringing supplies and support forces to distant shores and rescuing persons stranded in foreign countries by the outbreak of war. Mariposa, with a Navy -designated troop capacity of 4,165 and speed of , was one of the very large, fast transports, the largest nicknamed "Monsters", usually sailing without escort. War voyages 26 December 1941: Se left Honolulu, Hawaii, loaded with some military personnel and many military dependents accompanied by a destroyer escort, and arrived in San Francisco 1 January 1942. 12 January 1942: Mariposa left San Francisco in the "Australian — Suva" convoy escorted by two destroyers and the light cruiser with two other troopships SS President Coolidge and the [[USS President Monroe (AP-104)|SS President Monroe]] (destined for Suva). This was the first large convoy to Australia after Pearl Harbor with Mariposa transporting Army personnel, ammunition and, combined with Coolidge, fifty P-40 fighters intended for the Philippines and Java. The thirteen officers selected by the War Department to form the core of what was to become MacArthur's headquarters in the Southwest Pacific Area Command being formed in Australia as United States Army Forces in Australia (USAFIA), known as the "Remember Pearl Harbor" Group, were embarked in Coolidge and Mariposa. Most troops and equipment were intended to be sent